Re: CP and tooth loss

[Guest guest]

anne,

What is the doctor's concern regarding dental implants when one is insulin

dependent diabetic? I'm also IDDM, have been since my pancreas burn out

and diabetic ketoacidosis in March '03. I'm assuming that dentures aren't the

same as a dental implant, since they aren't permanent. Is it infection that

they

are concerned about, or what?

The major concern of my dental surgeon seems to be what my blood sugars

are going to be doing during the period of time that they have me under

anesthesia. Not understanding my dosing schedule, initially he told me not to

take my insulin the morning of the surgery, explaining that they would want

my BG's to run high rather than go to low. But because I use Lantus insulin,

and dose at night for a twenty four hour period, I told him that I couldn't

follow

his intructions in that regard.

He said their usual practice was to have additional glucose pumping into the

IV during the procedure so I wouldn't go too low, and that the patient makes

insulin corrections after they wake up. I wish now that I had one of those

expensive diabetic watches that monitors BG levels every minute, so they

would always know what my status is. He also said that he couldn't determine

the length of the surgery until he actually gets in there taking the teeth out.

Although the extractions themselves of the remaining 12 teeth only takes

about 5 minutes per tooth, if they discover that any sinus canals are exposed

in the open root area, he will have to make a flap and stitch it shut....a

process

that could easily take up to 15 minutes for each exposed area. We looked at

my films and it appeared that there could be as many as four areas that were

questionable. Now I'm beginning to understand my GI doctor's cautious

approach to this whole endeavor!

It's unfortunate that complete extractions are the only option for your

daughter.

I can understand her reluctance to accept the idea of losing all her teeth when

she's only 21, I would have felt the same when I was that age! I've had to

have several pulled over the years, and then have lost three just during the

last year due to the bone loss, so at this point it doesn't seem as drastic as

what she's facing. Even so, I'm only 53, and didn't think I'd be looking at

something like this for at least another 20 years........sigh.

Hybrid dental implants is something I know nothing about, yet it does sound

like a more attractive option. Does the decision to go this route have to be

determined immediately after extraction while the gums are still in the healing

process? Have the dentists given your daughter any time frame on how much

longer she can delay before making this decision?

I'm not sure how long the pain from the extractions will be discomforting. I

just

had to have one taken out two weeks ago due to it's impatience because of

an infection, and for that one I was wide awake with only novocaine for relief.

It did'nt hurt or give me any problems afterward, but I imagine it will be quite

different when it's 12 at once! I'm optomistic and hoping that it isn't that

much

of a pain issue.......and will try not to come running to the message board too

many times wailing in misery!

If I hear anything more about any of this, I'll be sure to post it to the board

so

that others can learn. It's curious that now that I've brought it up, I've

heard

from other people with similar problems. When the whole thing started, my

dentist said that the CP didn't have any direct relationship to the problem, and

then when I explained that my bone loss WAS directly related to the CP, he

still said that dental bone wasn't the same thing, etc. I may be wrong, but

judging by the number of other people I've heard from with malabsorption

issues from their CP, I do feel that perhaps this dentist is just another

medical

professional that just doesn't fully understand the pancreas.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina Rep.

SE Regional Rep., PAI

Note: All comment or advice is based on personal experience or opinion, and

should not be substituted for consultation with a medical professional.

anne wrote:

>this subject holds a special interest for me.My daughter's teeth have

deteriorated at a very rapid rate(over the past 12-18 mo),and all dentists

(we've been to a few)say they have to pull them all,and since she's so

young(21) they suggested a hybrid-dental inplants/dentures that will be

permanantly fixed in place.